Flexible-curtain construction.



Patented Oct. 3, I899. I A. S. SPAULD ING. FLEXIBLE CURTAIN CONSTRUCTION.

(Apphcstiou 101! A 4. 1898\ (No Mndoh go I Inventor (LEG WWW gr 2/3 Attor eys.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

YALGENON. s. sPAuLDiNe, F BLOOMSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

FLEXIBLE-CURTAIN CONSTRUCTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 634:,0'72, dated October 3, 1899.

7 Application filedd'pril 4, 1898. Serial No. 676,276. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it hwy concern:

Be it known that I, ALGENON S. SPAULD- ING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bloomsburg, in the county of Columbia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Flexible-Curtain Construction, of which the following is a specification.'

My invention relates to that class of flexible rolling or coiling partitions which are formed by a series of connected slats; and

one object of myinvention is to diminish thethe slats together so that the tension of such flexible connections will tend to keep the slats normally straightened out or in line with each other.

A further object of my invention is to provide means so that the slats will not shift or move endwise with respect to each other- Flexible partitions which have heretofore been formed 'of wooden slats or strips and which have been used for flexible curtains, shutters, doors, desk-tops, &c.,'have heretofore ordinarily been constructed or formed in two manners. In one form offconstruction secured on a canvas or other flexible backing. A construction of this nature presents but one finished surface and cannot ordinarily be used where both sides of the partition are expresent considerable frictional resistance to,

the operation of the flexible partitions,'and

this especiallyistrue if any of the slats.be-;

' come warpedor distorted to a slight degree.

Furthermore, the edges of the slats, turning? and rubbing on each other, in this'construction wear upon each other to an extent that is undesirable. To obviate these objections and to provide a flexible partition which can be rolled or coiled with substantially no frictional resistance and still present finished surfaces free from cracks or projections, I mold or shape the slats so thatin addition to round ing beads and corresponding sockets the slats are also provided with angular grooves and correspondin g projections, which permit them to turn with respect to each other on substantially knife-edge joints.

' A further object of the invention is to provide improved'adjustable -connecting mechanism for the slats and means for keeping the slats from shifting endwise, which constructions will be detailed in the following specific description.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective-view of a section of flexible partition constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlargedview illustrating the construction of the slats. Fig. 3 is a similar view illustrating the slats tipped or turned to a different relative position. Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation through the slats. Fig. 5 is a rear view of the last or end slat. Fig. 6 is a detail view, on a still further enlarged scale, of the preferred means for keeping the slats from shifting endwise. I Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, illustrating a modification; and Fig.

Sis a sectional View illustrating a modified form of means for connecting the slats.

. Referring to the drawings and in detail, a flexible partition constructed according to my invention, as illustrated in Fig. 1, comprises a plurality of similar slats a. As most clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3, each of the slats ai's provided at one edge with a rounding bead having a V-shaped groove 10 and at'its oppo site edge with a corresponding'socket having an angular or knife-edge projection 11 for engaging the socket or groove in the adjacent slat. As illustrated in the drawings, each of the angular'projections 11 is formed substantially at an angle of forty-five degrees, so that the inclined side thereof will engage and rest against one side of the groove 10 in the adjacent slat when the slats are straightened out into substantial'line with each other, as shown :in' Fig. 2th'a t is, the groove 10 is made about ninety degrees, more or less, forty-five degrees on each side of a plane passing through the center of the slats, and the projections 11 are made with one side parallel to or included in this central plane and the other side inclined at about forty-five degrees thereto, this construction permitting the slats to tilt fortyfive degrees relatively to one another. Of course these angles may be varied to suit the exigencies of any particular construction.

By means of this construction it will be seen that when the partition is straightened or unrolled to its closed position the sides of the projections 11, engaging the sides of the grooves 10, will form a tight joint throughout the length of the door. It will also be seen that the slats turn one on the other the knife-edges 11 will rotate in the bottoms of the grooves 10 and that this action takes place with substantially no friction. It is also to be noticed that the center of motion of each knife-edge joint is substantially concentric with the rounding bead, so that no cracks or projections will be presented on the surfaces of the door.

At its bottom or front end the flexible partition is generally provided with a heavy bottom strip b,which may have a number of handholes or sockets c for operating the partition, it being understood that the partition may be rolled up by any suitable means, as a coiled spring, substantially in the same manner that a curtain is coiled on the ordinary Hartshorn roller, or the door may be folded, rolled, or

otherwise deflected either horizontally or vertically in any of the usual manners, mypresent invention being directed rather to the shape and manner of connecting the slats together than to any particular manner of mounting and operating the flexible partition.

To secure or string the slats together, I may employ any of the usual flexible connections, such as steel strips, wirecords, &c.; but the preferred construction is shown in Fig. 4. In this construction a number of wire cords d are passed through holes bored in the slats a slightly at one side of the projections 11 and the corners of the grooveslO, as shown in Fig. 2. By stringing the slats together in this manner I have found in practice that by locating the flexible cords-or connections in this position the tension placed on the cord will normally tend to straighten the slats with respect to each other and keep them in line, which will insure the door presenting a smooth ap--' pearance when closed. One end of each cord (Z, which is generally made of twisted wire, is unraveled, bent back, and dipped in solder, so as to have a bullet-like head d This bulletlike head is placed in the bottom of a screwthreaded bushing 12, which is fitted in the bottom piece I), this bushing having a knife-edge or key 13 for preventing the same from turning therein. A screw 14 is tapped in the other end of the bushing 12, and the head of said screw engages a washer 15, set in the bottom piece I). The other end of each cord is tapered down and dipped in solder, so that the same will have a needle-like finish d. This enables me to readily thread the cords through the slats. This end of each cord is then bent down and secured by heavy staples 16 and 17 to the rear side of the last slat a, as shown in Fig. 5. By means of this construction by manipulatin g the screws '14 the cords can be tightened and the slats kept in proper relation one to the other and any wear between the slats thus taken up;

In some casesas, for example, when the door is used vertieallyit may be desirable to use additional means to prevent the slats from shifting endwise relatively to one another. To accomplish this purpose, I drill holes through all the slats and drive therein pins 18, which have their ends slabbed or milled off, so as tohave half-round projections 19 19 on the ends thereof. These pins 18 are arranged in the slats as shown in Fig. 4, the projecting slahbed end of the pin in one slat engaging the slabbed end of the pin in the next slat. The projecting sla'bbed heads 19 19 are oppositely disposed on the pins, as shown in Fig. 6. As many of these pins are used as desired. It will be seen that these pins will act to prevent any endwise shifting of the slats.

A modified form of pin is shown in Fig. 7, the same being made out of ahalf-round piece of steel 20, which is twisted so that its ends will be oppositely disposed to accomplish the functions of the oppositely-disposed slabbed heads 19 19 of the pin 18.

Instead of employing the flexible rope or cord I may employ a construction comprising a series of hinge-joints, such as is described and claimed in Letters Patent No. 558,577, granted to me April 21, 1896, and'l have illustrated such a construction in Fig. 8. As shown in this figure, each of the hinge-bolts 21 is milled or cut away near one end to form a projecting pintle 23, and at its opposite end each hinge-bolt is provided with an ofiset flattened section 22, having a socket for receiving the pintle ofan adjacent hinge-bolt. \Vhen the slats of my improved flexible partition are to be strung together by the use of my hinge-bolt, I prefer to locate the hingebolts exactly in the middle of the slats; but

said hinge-bolts may, if desired, be locatedv slightly at one side thereof.

I am aware that changes may be made in the construction of my flexible partition by those who are skilled in the art without departing from the scope of my invention as expressed in the claims. I do not wish, therefore, to be limited to the form which I have shown and described; but

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. As an article of manufacture a flexible partition comprising a plurality of slats having rounding beads forengaging corresponding sockets in adjacent slats, each bead having an angular groove and each socket having an angular projection for engaging said groove, so that said slats may turn with respect to each other substantially on knifeedge joints, substantially as described.

2. As an article of manufacture, a flexible partition comprising a plurality of similar 5 slats, each having along one edge a rounding bead with a V-shaped socket or groove, and along the other edge a corresponding socket with an angular projection to engage the groove in an adjacent slat to form substanr tially knife-edge joints between the slats, the

inclined side of each projection engaging the side of the groove into which it fits when the slats are in line with each other, substantially as described.

3. In a flexible partition, the-combination of a plurality of slats, each having a rounding of similar slats a, each having a rounding bead with an angular groove formed on one edge and on its opposite edge a corresponding socket having an angular projection, and flexi- 2o ble connections extending through said slats at one side of the knife-edge joints formed by said grooves and projections so that the tension of the flexible connections will tend to keep the slats in line with each other, substantially as described.

4. In a flexible partition, the combination bead with a rectangular groove onsocket along one edge thereof, and on" the opposite o edge a corresponding socket having a fortyfive-degree,-afigular projection 11, the inclined'side of the projection 11 engaging the "side of the groovellO into which it fits when the'slats are in line with each other, and flexi- 5 ble cords at extending through said slats at one side of the knife-edge joints formed by the grooves 10, and projections 11, so that the tension of the flexible cords will tend to keep the slats in line with each other, substantially 40 as described.

5. In a flexible partition, the combination of a plurality of slats and Wire cords for stringin g said slats together, each of said wire cords being twisted or braided from a pluralityof strands, and the stringing end of each of said cords being soldered and. tapered to form an positely-arranged slabbed heads 19, substantially as described. r

8. Ina flexible partition the combination of a plurality of'slats having rounding beads engaging" corresponding sockets in adjacent "slats, each of said beads having an angular groove therein, and each socket having anangular projection and Wire cords for stringing said slats together, the stringing end of each cord being soldered and tapered to form a needle-like point,substantially as described.-

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of .two subscribing witnesses.

ALGENON s. SPAULDING.

WVitnesses:

G. M; QUICK, C. W. McKELvv, Jr.

6o 7 to one another, comprising pins 18 having op- 

